Life-raft.



0. RITSON.

LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1908.

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APPLICATION P111131) JULY 11, mos

Patented 11, 1909.

CHARLES RITSON, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

LIFE-RAFT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed July 11, 1908. Serial No. 443,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Rrrson, citi- Zen of the United States, residin at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis ity and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Rafts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life rafts, and particularly to that class thereof havinga central float, sup orted by two side floats In such a manner t at the raft cannot be capsized.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an electric motor in the central oat, driving a propeller, forming a mobile float which is adapted for use either on board ship or in connection with life saving service.

'lhe invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the raft as in use; Fig. 2 is a top plan view; Fig. 3 is a side elevation; Fig. 4 is a cross section and Fig. 5 is a detail in section of one of the joints between the staves of the side floats.

Referring specifically to the drawin s, 6 indicates a central float preferably me e of some li t metal such as aluminum. This float is ollow and is ointed at both ends, and is strengthened y rin 7 extending around the same near the en s thereof. The float is provided with a hatch 8 hinged to open and close, and is of sufficient size to carry several peo 1e within the same. Ace cess is had into t e float b means of the hinged batch, or by means 0 two man-holes 9 at the opposite ends of the hatch. In use, these man-holes will be occupied by the na ator and engineer of the raft, who will sit within the same with the upper part of the body exposed, as shown in Fig; 1. The central float is provided withan electric motor 10 which may be driven by storage batteries in the float, and which drives apropeller 11 at the stern. By keeping the storage batteries charged, the float will be read for instant use at any time. ,The side oats 12,

' one of which is located at each side of the central float, are also hollow, and are closed, and by reason of their location they prevent the raft from capsizing. They are preferably made of elongated wooden staves united at the edges by under-cut joints 14, which insure a solid and water tight compartment. These floats are strengthened by metal bands 15 extending around the same, and they are rigidly connected to the central float by means of u per and lower brace rods 16 secured to t e hoops around the respective floats. Hand lines 17 extend along the outer sides of the side floats.

The raft is steered by means of rudders 18 at the rear of the side floats, and the tillers 19 are connected by a cross rod '20 so that the rudder-s move to ether. They are controlled hy cords 21 Teadi-ng to convenient position beside the rear man-hole, for operation by the steersman. A raft so constructed will su port a considerable number of persons eitor u on the raft or within the centra float. he hoops 15 around the side floats are connected by longitudinal rods 22 which also serve to support the rudder osts..

The power provided for propeflingthe raft makes it superior to ordinary ra s which lack any such meam of pro ulsion, and therefore permits the device to he used when an ordinal raft or life boat could not be employed. he raft is of little draft and is comaratively light and buoyant, and hence for e saving service, especia can be readily launched and driven under its own power to the place of a wreck.

I claim:

A life raft comprisin a central tubular float and a pair of side oats, the former being provided with front and rear man-holes and an openable hatch extendin from one man-hole to the other, the ends 0 the hatch forming part of the rim of the man-holes.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RITSON. Witnesses: I

H. E, Ross, A. Van Damn-z. 

